Excavating apparatus.



R. W. DULL. EXCAVATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 18. $913.

mmm. Patented Dec. 5,1916.

earns arniv anion.

RAYMOND W. DULL, DIE CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

EXGAVATING APPARATUS.

naoness.

Application filed September 18, 1913.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, RAYMOND DULL, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Chicago, Cook county, Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Excavating Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to excavating apparatus of that particular kind in which the excavating operation is performed by a drag line bucket which travels back and forth on a cable track, the said track being lowered to permit the bucket to fill by being dragged along the ground, and the track then being tightened or drawn taut to permit the bucket to travel overhead until it reaches the dumping position.

The object of my invention, generally stated, is to provide a novel and highly efficient excavating apparatus of the fore ,0-

ing general character.

A special object is to provide a novel construction and arrangement whereby the load is discharged without dumping the bucketthat is to say, without upsetting the bucket, the load being dumped or discharged by automatically opening a gate with which the bucket is provided, and which is positively and forcibly moved into open position when the bucket reaches the desired position for discharging the load.

It is also an object to provide a novel construction and arrangement whereby said gate of the bucket is automatically closed by gravity as soon as it is released after the discharging of the load.

It is also an object to provide certain details, combinations and features of construction tending to increase the general efficiency and serviceability of a drag line bucket excavating apparatus of this particular character.

To the foregoing and other useful ends my invention consists in matters hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawingsFigure l is a side elevation of a drag line bucket excavating apparatus embodying the principles of my invention, showing the same in position to carry the load along the cable track or runway. Fig. 2 is a similar view, but showing the gate of the bucket in open position. Fig. 8 is a View similar to Fig. 1, but showing another form of my invention.

As thus illustrated, my invention comprises a cable track or runway A, of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Fatented Dec. 5, ital-6..

Serial No. 790,505.

usual well known form, adapted to be drawn taut or left slack, as occasion may require. The two carriages or trucks B and C are provided with wheels 6 and c that travel on the said cable runway, the two trucks being connected by bars D, whereby a supporting structure is provided. The bucket E is provided with sides c and a bottom c the latter having a cutting lip or edge e at the forward end of the bucket, and the bot tom being provided with a heel piece 6 which serves to elevate the rear end of the bucket while it is being dragged along the ground. The said bucket is suspended from the trucks B and C by means of hanger chains F and G, the latter being longer than the former, whereby the bucket when suspended hangs in a tilted position, the mouth of the bucket at such time being higher than the rear end thereof, whereby the load is held without danger of spilling. The bucket is operated along the ground by drag line H, which is attached to the mouth of the bucket by the bridle chain it, in any suitable manner. The rear end of the bucket is provided with a swinging gate 1, which is pivoted to the sides of the bucket at 2', whereby it is adapted to swing about a horizontal axis, the gate being curved about said axis. This gate has an operating connection 71 as shown in Fig. 1, extending over a sheave 0 supported on the trunk C, and secured to the lower end of a lever J, which latter is pivoted upon an arm j, said arm being pivoted on the forward truck. The upper end of said lever J is provided with a block i having a wheel 7' that travels on the cable runway. The said lever is pro vided with a series of holes for changing the position of the lever on the arm j, in order to regulate the opening and closing action of the gate.

As thus shown, and when the bucket reaches the dumping position, the block 7' strikes the stop K, which latter is secured to the cable runway. The continued forward motion of the bucket causes a tilting of the lever J into the position shown in Fig. 2, with the result that the gate 1 is pulled upward and to open'position, in the manner shown. Thus the load is discharged with out dumping or upsetting the bucket, and as soon as the bucket starts backward the weight of the gate I is such that it will then automatically close itself, and in so doing restore the lever J to normal position. Thus the gate is positively opened to discharge the load, and is then automatically closed by gravity. As shown in Fig. 3 the construction is substantially the same as previously described; but in this case the lever J is connected with the arm L on the upper end of the gate by means of a member or link M, which latter is the equivalent of the flexible connection shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and which operates in substantially the same manner. Vith the construction shown in Fig. 3 the gate is positively opened, in an upward direction, and is then closed by gravitythat is to say by the weight of the gate and link and after the bucket has started backward.

l/Vhile the bucket E is traveling forward on the cable track A, its bottom 6 is disposed at an acute angle to the said track, thus preventing the load from spilling out of the mouth of the bucket. Also, the bucket will enter a mass of material in this upwardly inclined position, but while loading is free to tilt upward at its rear end, inasmuch as it is both pivotally and flexibly connected with the wheeled-carrier that travels on the'cable track. The gate I is movable edgewise up and down, about an axis disposed a distance toward the mouth of the bucket, so that the pressure of the load does not tend to move the gate about its pivot, the lines of pressure all passing through the said axis, or substantially so. Thus, the gate opens easily, by sliding motion of its inner surface on the rear end of the load, and is adapted to then close by gravity. lVith this construction, no latches or looking devices are necessary for the gate.

I do not limit myself to the exact construction shown and described.

Vihat I claim as my invention is 1. An excavating apparatus comprising a dragline bucket, a track extending above said bucket, means to support the bucket for movement in carrying position along said track, a drag-line attached to said bucket, a stop on said track, and dumping mechanism arranged to engage said step for opening the rear end of said bucket, said mechanism including a connecting member extending over the bucket to the rear end thereof, said bucket having a gate to which said member is connected arranged to open upwardly, and said mechanism having means for engaging said stop to exert a forward pull on said member and thereby open said gate while the bucket remains in said position.

2. An excavating apparatus comprising a drag-line bucket, a track extending above said bucket, means to support the bucket for movement in carrying position along said track, a drag-line attached to said bucket, a stop on said track, and dumping mechanism arranged to engage said stop for opening the rear end of said bucket, said mechanism including a connecting member extending over the bucket to the rear end thereof, said bucket having a gate to which said member is connected arranged to open upwardly, and said mechanism having means for engaging said stop to exert a forward pull on said member and thereby open said gate while the bucket remains in said position, said means being flexible to permit tilting of said bucket into position for filling when dragged along the ground.

8. An excavating apparatus comprising a drag-line bucket, a track extending above said bucket, means to support the bucket for movement along said track, a drag-line attached to said bucket, a stop on said track, and dumping mechanism arranged to engage said stop for opening the rear end of said bucket, said mechanism including a connecting member extending over the bucket to the rear end thereof, and said bucket having a gate to which said member is connected arranged to open upwardly, and said mechanism having means for engaging said step to exert a forward pull 011 said member and thereby open said gate while the bucket remains in said position, said gate being pivoted at a point to hold the load in the bucket, and said member being arranged to move the gate edgewise into open posi tion.

4%. An excavating apparatus comprising a drag-line bucket, a track extending above said bucket, means to support the bucket for movement along said track, a drag-line attached to said bucket, a stop on said track, and dumping mechanism arranged to engage said step for opening the rear end of said bucket, said mechanism including a connecting member extending over the bucket to the rear end thereof, and said bucket having a gate to which said member is connected arranged to open upwardly, and said mechanism having means for engaging said stop to exert a forward pull on said member and thereby open said gate while the bucket remains in said position, said mechanism including an element pivoted on said means, a lever pivoted on said element, the lower end of said lever being connected to the forward end of said member, and means for connecting the upper end of said lever to travel on said track.

5. An excavating apparatus comprising a drag-line bucket, a track extending above said bucket, means to support the bucket for movement along said track, a drag-line attached to said bucket, a stop on said track, and dumping mechanism arranged to engage said step for opening the rear end of said bucket, said mechanism including a connecting member extending over the bucket to the rear end thereof, and said bucket having a gate to which said member is connected arranged to open upwardly, and said mechanism having means for engaging said stop to exert a forward pull on said member and thereby open said gate while the bucket remains in said position, said means including front and rear hanger chains for supporting the bucket in carrying position during the opening of said gate, a carriage supporting said chains on the track, and a forward connection between said carriage and said mechanism.

6. An excavating apparatus comprising a drag-line bucket, a track extending above said bucket, means to support the bucket for movement in carrying position along said track, a drag-line attached to said bucket, a stop on said track, and dumping mechanism arranged to engage said stop for opening the rear end of said bucket, said mechanism including a connecting member extending over the bucket to the rear end thereof, said bucket having a gate to which said member is connected arranged to open upwardly, and said mechanism' having means for engaging said stop to exert a forward pull on said member and thereby open said gate While the bucket remains in said position, said mechanism being connected and arranged for movement to normal position by the weight of said gate when the bucket moves backward away from said stop, and said gate being mounted and arranged to gravitate to closed position as soon as the stop disengages said mechanism.

7. An excavating apparatus comprising a drag-line bucket, a track extending above said bucket, means to support the bucket for movement in carrying position along said track, a drag-line attached to said bucket, a stop on said track, and dumping mechanism arranged to engage said stop for opening the rear end of said bucket, said mechanism including a connecting member extending over the bucket to the rear end thereof, said bucket having a gate to which said member is connected arranged to open upwardly, and said mechanism hav ing means for engaging said stop to exert a forward pull on said member and thereby open said gate while the bucket remains in said position, said means being flexible to permit tilting of said bucket into position for filling when dragged along the ground, said mechanism being connected and arranged for movement to normal position by the weight of said ate when the bucket moves backward away from saidstop, and said gate being mounted and arranged to gravitate to closed position as soon as the stop disengages said mechanism.

8. An excavating apparatus comprising a drag-line bucket, a track extending above said bucket, means to support the bucket for movement in carrying position along said track, a drag-line attached to said bucket, a stop on said track, and dumping mechanism arranged to engage said stop for opening the rear end of said bucket, said mechanism including a connecting member extending over the bucket to the rear end thereof, said bucket having a gate to which said member is connected arranged to open up wardly, and said mechanism having means for engaging said stop to exert a forward pull on said member and thereby open said gate while the bucket remains in said position, said bucket having the same backward tilt for both carrying and dumping the load, and said means having provisions for allowing the bucket and gate to tilt forward together into loading position.

9. An excavating apparatus comprising a drag-line bucket, a track extending above said bucket, means to support the bucket for movement in carrying position along said track, a drag-line attached to said bucket, a stop on said track, and dumping mechanism arranged to engage said stop for opening the rear end of said bucket, said mechanism including a connecting member extending over the bucket to the rear end thereof, said bucket having a gate to which said member is connected arranged to open upwardly, and said mechanism having means for engaging said stop to exert a forward pull on said member and thereby open said gate while the bucket remains in said position, said means being flexible to permit tilting of said bucket into position for filling when dragged along the ground, said bucket having the same backward tilt for both carrying and dumping the load, and said means having provisions for allowing the bucket and gate to tilt forward together into load,

ing position.

10. The combination of a track, a dragline bucket provided with a gate, means for supporting said bucket on said track at the same angle for both carrying and dumping the load, a drag-line extending to said bucket, mechanism carried by said means to open said gate, and a stop for operating said mechanism, said means having provisions for allowing said bucket and gate to tilt forward together into loading position.

11. The combination of a track, a drag- M line bucket provided with a rear end gate, means for supporting said bucket on said track, a drag-line extending to said bucket, mechanism carried on said means to lift said gate toward the track, and a stop for operating said mechanism, said gate being selfmaintained in closed position.

12. The combination of a drag-line bucket provided with a pivoted rear end gate, a drag-line attached to said bucket, means for supporting said bucket, mechanism for automatically lifting said gate without tilting the bucket, and a stop for operating said mechanism, said gate being self-maintained in closed position, and said mechanism being connected and arranged for movement to normal position by the gravitation of said gate from open position when the bucket moves away from said stop, said bucket hav "ing the same backward tilt for both carrying and dumping the load, and said means having provisions to permit forward tilting of the bucket and gate together into loading 7 position on the ground.

13. In an excavating apparatus, in combination with a slack track cable, a carrier movable thereon, a bucket pivotally connected to said carrier and having the plane of its bottom extending at an acute angle to the line of the track cable when the bucket is suspended, a gate at the rear end of the bucket and means to automatically open the gate to permit the discharge of the contents of the bucket from the rear end thereof.

14. In an excavating apparatus, in combination with a track cable, a carrier movable thereon, a rear discharging bucket, means ,pivotally connecting the bucket at its front and rear to the carrier, said means being so constructed and connected to the bucket as to permit the rear end to hang lower than the front end relatively to the track cable, whereby the bucket is adapted to enter the breast of material at an upward inclination.

15. In an excavating apparatus, in combination with a track cable, a carrier movable thereon, a bucket having a rear dumping gate, means for suspending said bucket at an inclination to the track cable, a pivotal connection between the front end of the bucket and carrier, and a flexible connection between the rear end of the bucket and carrier, means for automatically opening said gate and a load line connection to the bucket.

16. An excavating apparatus comprising a drag-line bucket provided with a rear gate which is movable edgewise up and down, means for automatically lifting said gate to dump the load and whereby said gate is adapted to close by gravity, and instrumentalities to support and operate said bucket.

17. An excavating apparatus comprising adrag-line bucket provided with a rear gate which is movable edgewise up and down, means for automatically lifting said gate to dump the load and whereby said gate is adapted to close by gravity, and instrumen talities to support and operate said bucket, said gate being pivoted to swing about an axis disposed a distance toward the front of the bucket in position to prevent the pressure of the load from tending to move the gate about its pivot.

18. An excavating apparatus comprising a drag-line bucket provided with a rear gate which is movable edgewise up and down,

-means for automatically lifting said gate Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

